Lights, camera, action: Film that house

Videos are a real estate agent's best friend

Seventy-five percent of people surfing real estate expect a video, says one agent.

Photograph by: Goodluz
, Fotolia

In the realm of "now I've seen everything," a darling doggy and her dishy master wordlessly (and barklessly) took me on a tour of a home, told me a story, and made me want to move in (with them). Brainchild of agent Heather Rovet of Sage Real Estate, the professionally produced lifestyle video is an innovative sales tool.

Ms. Rovet's previous experience in the fashion and film industries made her realize that a lifestyle video was the best way to engage potential buyers for 218 Cottingham St. "By the time they first visit a property, most consumers already know the specs and features, so creating a visual way for them to interact with the house is a natural next step."

A unique, renovated threestorey property listed at $1,495,000, the semi has double car parking and an open main floor with doors at each end leading to private landscaped patios. A master bedroom with a gorgeous ensuite bath, a laundry cupboard, custom closets and an office inhabit the second floor while an open, skylit loft and bath occupy the third. The unusual layout begged to be filmed.

Working with Mark Wilson from Property Film to develop a storyline involving a hipster and his furry friend (which took a week), they went on to shoot the one minute, 53 second video with professional actors over one (exhausting) day. Neither Heather nor Mark has worked on this kind of lifestyle video before. More important, it got the results Heather had hoped for. And in seven days.

The buyer, a guy in his midthirties who works in finance and dresses like the actor (but has no dog - yet), saw the video, fell in love with the house and presented a bully offer. Heather confirms, "The video was instrumental to the sale." But Heather is not the only one to use video in a creative way.

To entice buyers to his home and condo listings, Jonathan Amantea of Re/Max 2000 Realty posts commentary and videos of attractions, hotspots and public transit options. He says buyers who don't know neighbourhoods more often consider moving in after watching his mini-tours.

Chuck Charlton atRoyal LePage Meadowtowne Realty has positioned himself as a Milton real estate expert by providing daily video insights into every new listing. For anyone thinking of moving to the town, his videos are a stellar resource.

Over at Coldwell Banker Terrequity Realty, Farrell Macdonald's unscripted videos are a huge hit with potential buyers who like his casual but insightful personal home tours. He says, "75% of people looking for real estate online expect to see some video component, but only 10% to 15% of agents employ it." That explains why traffic to his website is increasing monthly. And why the doggy video was instrumental in the sale of 218 Cottingham St.

Videos of any kind are enthusiastically welcomed by consumers who shop online before touring homes and neighbourhoods in person. While a lifestyle video is not ideal for every property, for special homes it has been proven to be 100% effective. So, how long will it be before scene-stealing dog actors are in high demand?

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